Political candidate lectures friend of suicided gay teen about homosexuality - US

Conservative political candidate Jason Christensen, Utah US

More love from the christians..... Is it something about the name "Christensen"?

So imagine a 19 year old friend has killed himself, as is prevalent in the world of the LGBT. You put up something on social media in memorium for the teen death. Then somebody starts preaching at you about the sin of homosexuality and murder (suicide). Only he's not just some nutcase in cyberland, he's a conservative political candidate running for office. 

Well it happened in the US state Utah. The candidate Jason Christensen who thought it would be a marvelously christian idea to write that he hoped god would forgive the teen for being gay and suiciding.

This is just typical of the so called "respectful" discussion presently being experienced in Australia thanks to Turnbull and his stupid plebiscite idea. They say something outrageous and completely offensive to LGBT sensibilities, and then if you react in anger or even say something back they accuse you of intolerance and hate.

The blurred name below is the woman friend of the family of the suicided teen: 

Irish "Yes" vote co-directer says no plebiscite Australia

Dr Grainne Healy, co-director of Ireland's Yes Equality campaign

The christians point to Ireland and the referendum they had over there as an example of a respectful debate on marriage equality and that nobody got hurt over there, so WTF are we LGBT talking about that the debate here will have serious implications for our mental health. They say we're just making it up to avoid the plebiscite, and it worked in Ireland so it will work here.

However the co-director of the Yes campaign in Ireland, Dr Grainne Healy, tells a different story. Campaigners who needed counseling after coping dreadful abuse face to face when out and about for the cause. Some of the most shocked were straight allies who just couldn't believe how their LGBT friends were being treated. Rainbow families walking past signs saying "Every child needs a mother and father".

All we saw was the end result here in Australia. There was no reporting that I've seen anyway of the abuse and mental health struggles imposed on Irish LGBT people because of the referendum. Thing is, Ireland had to have one according to it's laws. Australia doesn't.

Healy has written a letter to our politicians urging them not to have a plebiscite, below in it's entirety:

Dear Sir or Madam:

 I write as the Co-Director of the Yes Equality campaign in Ireland mindful of the 62% Yes vote of the binding referendum in May 2015 which gave constitutional protection to same-sex couples. As Chairwoman of Marriage Equality Ireland for over a decade we are delighted that we were able to see our goal achieved, however, a referendum campaign, even one as positive and successful as Yes Equality's was a brutal affair at times, for LGBT people, our families and even for our mobilised straight allies.

The No side posters which declared that 'every child deserves a mother and a father' were deeply hurtful and upsetting for LGBT headed families as they passed the posters on lamp posts and bill boards across the country - explaining to our children that they were ok and trying to hide the posters from them was awful for LGBT parenting families. The nature of plebiscites is that they allow negative hurtful images and comments to be published in the name of 'fair canvassing'. Likewise, listening to the untruths and ill informed hate speech on radio or tv during the campaign was damaging and unforgettable for some. Dr Glenda Russell (2000) has studied the damaging psychological impact that anti-lgbt actions have on the LGBT community.

For those canvassing for a Yes, knocking on doors and asking for a Yes vote was not always a positive experience. In fact, during the campaign canvass, we at Yes Equality HQ, made the decision to offer counselling supports to canvas teams - some of those most upset by the negative comments made to them about LGBT people were straight allies - they were appalled at the awful comments made and required psychological counselling. Likewise, some LGBT canvassers who were out asking for rights for themselves suffered greatly from the hateful comments they heard on doorsteps and in train or bus stations while canvassing.

For our friends in Australia, I would ask that you do not underestimate how horrible and damaging an experience canvassing in such a campaign can be - even in a campaign like ours which was predicated on positive messaging and upbeat imagery and hugely successful social media campaign with national champions for marriage equality coming out - it was a gruelling experience - at least we knew that at the end of it, if we won, we would have full constitutional equality for LGBT marriage rights. To hold a non-binding plebiscite seems to be at the least insensitive to the LGBT community who will bear the brunt of the negative campaigning and at best will lead to an experience of divisive, hurtful campaigning, with no guarantee of progressing marriage equality.

As a civil and human rights issue of equality, as a matter of family equality and as a matter of equality for our sons and daughters and our friends and workmates - legislation to introduce marriage equality is what is needed in Australia and those who support marriage equality rights must move to see that legislation introduced as quickly as possible and the proposed divisive plebiscite should not take place.

Yours Sincerely,

Dr Grainne Healy Co Director of Yes Equality Chairwoman Marriage Equality. The Huffington Post

 

First Pride flag in space - video

As usual, gays got the flag to space in an out-of-the-square way. There were no rockets, just some kind of maniac balloon thing that ended up 20 miles above the earth. 

How many other flags have had that done to them via balloon? Or are the LGBT the first ones?

On August 17, Planting Peace sent the first pride flag into space, and in doing so, declared space LGBTQ friendly. The primary purpose of this declaration is to support the ongoing fight for the fundamental human rights of our LGBTQ family, moving us closer to a universal understanding that all people deserve to live freely and love freely without fear and discrimination.

To achieve this, we used a high altitude balloon with a GoPro attached, and launched just outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The pride flag was airborne for just over three hours before making its way back to earth. At its peak altitude, the flag soared 21.1 miles above the earth’s surface.

Our hope was to create the largest safe SPACE possible for our LGBTQ community. It also offered us a chance to reinforce, in a peaceful, beautiful way, our ongoing message to our LGBTQ family:

You are loved, valued and beautiful.

There is nothing wrong with you.

You are not alone, and we will stand with you. Planting peace 

 

Turnbull blames renewables for South Australia blackout - Orwell files

South Australia has suffered a natural disaster at the hands of what is being described as a once in a 50 year "super storm", with high winds and 80,000 lightning strikes. Electricity towers we blown over and the state suffered a big blackout of power due to this. Many houses still don't have electricity.


Climate scientists said there will be more of this with climate change unless serious action is taken to address the problem:

The storm which has ravaged South Australia is a disturbing preview of what's likely to come if Australia fails to act on climate change, according to the Climate Council. Storms like the one which knocked out the entire South Australian electricity network are occurring in a warmer and wetter atmosphere, the Climate Council's Professor Will Steffen said. "These conditions, driven by climate change, are likely increasing the intensity of storms like the one in South Australia," he said. "Australians are being affected right now by climate change. We have people trapped by floodwaters, property destroyed and doctors working by torchlight in Adelaide as they struggle to cope with the latest in a series of more frequent and intense extreme weather events. "The atmosphere is packing much more energy than 70 years ago, which contributes to the increasing intensity of such storms. Intense rainfall is projected to increase in Australia and has already increased at a global level. "This is a prelude to a disturbing future. And it's only going to get worse if we don't address climate change." Sydney Morning Herald

#Wind turbines were actually providing more than 800MW of power when the lights went out https://t.co/Ug029XlNfF #sablackout pic.twitter.com/AugZtQJpGl

— RenewEconomy (@renew_economy) September 29, 2016

However in a bizarre political move by the Lieberals, they are now blaming renewables for the storm in some twisted Orwellian doublspeak, saying pretty much that the renewables in place were jeopardising the states power "security", insinuating that renewables aren't able to carry base load power. Shorten's response was savage:

He has asked the federal energy and environment minister, Josh Frydenberg, to convene a meeting with all state and territory energy ministers before he meets with state premiers.

“Let’s focus now and take this storm in South Australia ... as a real wake-up call, let’s end the ideology, focus on clear renewable target. The federal government has one as you know, 23.5% is our target.”

Bill Shorten has slammed the government’s response to the storm, saying it is “disgraceful” that conservatives are playing politics with a natural disaster.

“If they want to play the blame game, surely isn’t it appropriate to wait until all the houses have their power back on, until we know the bill, until we know what’s happened?” Shorten said.

“This is a super-storm, 80,000 lightning strikes. That didn’t happen because of the renewable energy target. That’s the weather.

“If the Greens had blamed, while a bushfire was underway, if they had talked about climate change, Barnaby Joyce would have been all over them like a rash, calling them un-Australian and all the rest of the nonsense, yet here we have the conservatives trying to play politics about renewable energy when this is a storm, it is the weather blowing over towers,” he said.

In three separate interviews on Thursday morning, the National party leader, Barnaby Joyce, argued that South Australia had become too reliant on renewable energy, wind in particular, and said its lack of coal-fired baseload power had contributed to the blackout. The Guardian

I've noticed a bit of sarcasm on this with the Twitterati suggesting other things that one might blame on renewables: 

911 was a renewable conspiracy #StuffWeCanBlameOnRenewables#auspol

— BUDGIE (@RunawayBudgie) September 29, 2016

Blame it on the reneweables - I know I did :P#auspol @AuSenate pic.twitter.com/U2K3r5i8q9

— mark kinnear (@spike4169) September 29, 2016

#stuffwecanblameonrenewables #CSG #auspol #fracking pic.twitter.com/QCQnjamlzz

— Protect the Plain (@protecttheplain) September 29, 2016

#stuffwecanblameonrenewables pic.twitter.com/MyPyoepkkq

— Protect the Plain (@protecttheplain) September 29, 2016

 

Daughter's cat Felix - picture

After bumping in to my daughter the other day after a year and a half without contact, we've begun to email again. 

She sent me a picture of her cat Felix, who spent some time here growing up from a kitten and befriended Natasha. Felix was a good cat albeit a very stupid one. Here he is in the shared grassed area they have where they live.

He's looked like a beutiful cat, although he still looks a bit stupid :)

 

"I am a homophobic bigot and I revel in this" - christian

More love from the christians.....

Here we have a christian who has put a video on YouTube earlier this year, proudly calling himself a homophobe bigot. Just imagine what the likes of him will do if they get a chance to preach this shit through a megaphone.

Strangely though, he's quite happy to say this publicly online with his face and all, but then says undue media coverage will destroy him. Yet he appears to even use his full name for the account.

*Just as an afterthought, the fact occurred to me that why should someone like this have any say in my and David's life together and our human rights? People like this can vote.

BTW I've closed comments on this post. I'm not having this nut spread hate speech here :)

 

88 cases reopened; gay hate crimes in Sydney '80's-90's - The Feed

Dead partner's name misspelled by police who then gave up on the case

Incredibly sloppy police work, gays found dead with no answers, the gay reporting the bashing locked up and bashed by the police.... This may sound like some story in a far off land where homophobia is rife. 

Yet it's not. It happened in Sydney in the 1980's and 1990's. Eighty eight unexplained deaths of gay people in Sydney and surrounds during that time.

These cases have now been reopened in the present day in an effort to solve the crimes. 

Watch as The Feed uncovers in one case what the police didn't even know; that the name of one person had been misspelled, but instead of the police digging further they simply gave up.

  

Josh Duggar is back & forgiven by hetro Jesus :s

Christian Nightmares

Josh Duggar has come back to his wife and kids, all better now apparently after his fall into sin and temptation weakness. The rehab centre he went to was one that claimed accepting Jesus as lord and saviour was fundamental to any sort of recovery.

So I guess he's done that and now things are just fine again.....

I think it was the statute of limitations in the state he lived that meant he couldn't be convicted of molestation. Would be a different story here in Australia where there's no statute of limitations for child abuse. They can go back literally decades (as they have with the odd Catholic priest here). Josh Duggar would very likely be in jail now if he was here.

 

New Will and Grace scene - US election special

This put out just for the election over there. Will and Grace are aghast that Trump is the Republican presidential candidate. 

They don't look like they've aged much at all, however Jack wonders how everything in the fridge "looks ten years old".

 

"You can't negotiate against prejuduce" - Penny Wong, Q&A

Penny Wong remembers the last time Pauline Hanson came to power in Canberra as back then Hanson was saying Australia would all be swamped by Asians instead of Muslims now. Ironically this time around with Hanson, Wong still remains in her sights with Wong in a same sex relationship and advocating for marriage equality.

Hanson the other day told us gays to piss off overseas and live in a country where gay marriage was legal if we didn't like it here not being able to, as well as ridiculing the effects a plebiscite would have on young Australian LGBT.

In an interview on the gay and lesbian radio station Joy FM in Melbourne, the One Nation leader also said she believes fears about hate speech and the mental health risks to young people of a plebiscite, which she wants delayed and held alongside the next federal election, are being overblown. 

"I think you are actually blowing that out of proportion to make that an excuse why you shouldn't have a plebiscite," she said on Saturday. 

Challenged on the mental health research from groups like beyondblue, Senator Hanson said: "I disagree with that; I don't believe there's going to be hate. I think it would be a balanced debate." Sydney Morning Herald

This seems to be the line adopted by the Lieberals, saying that the LGBT are overstating mental health issues and that the debate will be respectful (despite already three Lieberal party members from NSW being caught out behind an anti-gay marriage leaflet full of lies). In fact Turnbull himself has been getting up in parliament saying how respectful it's all going to be.

I myself have had the same thing told to me online, that we're making this stuff up and "nobody kills themselves over a vote". It just shows complete ignorance of the LGBT, and complete arrogance that people who know nothing about us would be so confident in making such judgements about us.

The very same people that would be voting in a plebiscite.

Wong states here that the plebiscite isn't about marriage equality, but the internal politics of the Lieberal party. No wonder the negotiations fell down over it the other day with Labor. The Lieberals wouldn't budge, didn't even bring anything to the negotiating table. Just kept on "plebiscite, plebiscite...."  After all, you can't negotiate with prejudice.

Would it be smarter to pass the SSM legislation, so we can have a decision early 2017? Our #QandA panel responds https://t.co/2VclA2utgj

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) September 26, 2016

  .
 

Gov doesn't budge on plebiscite - video

Predictably the Turnbull gov has refused to compromise on the marriage equality plebiscite, with both Labor and the Lieberals blaming each other.

Labor says the plebiscite has been set up to fail, which sounds pretty right to me. That it's been put together by those in the gov who don't want to see us gays getting married.So much so in fact that Labor says talking to Brandis was like talking to George Christensen.

 

"Condoms are too modern" - Mike Pence, US running mate of Trump

This guy could end up being the deputy president of the US FFS.

He's on record as saying condoms are too modern, I think because he wants abstinence instead of young people actually having sex (*gasp*). So the logic is that condoms promote sex, therefore they're too modern. Far out.

Pence told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that it was “a sad day” because Powell had suggested condoms over abstinence: 

Well, Wolf, I think it was — given the enormous stature that Colin Powell rightly has, not only in America but in the world community — it was a sad day. I don’t think any administration has had a worse day since boxers and briefs on MTV. And the truth is that Colin Powell had an opportunity here to reaffirm this president’s commitment to abstinence as the best choice for our young people, and he chose not to do that in the first instance, but — and so I think it’s very sad. 

The other part is that, frankly, condoms are a very, very poor protection against sexually transmitted diseases, and in that sense, Wolf, this was — the secretary of state may be inadvertently misleading millions of young people and endangering lives. 

Pence then went on to suggest that condoms are “too modern,” and too “liberal,” for him: 

The problem is it was too modern of an answer, Wolf. It was — it truly was a modern, liberal answer to a problem that parents like me are facing all over America, and frankly, all over the world. patheos

 BTW the article also mentions that he let HIV spread in Indiana because he wouldn't allow injecting rooms.

Hanson tells gays to leave the country

I guess we're added to Pauline Hanson's list of undesirables. First it was the Asians way back the first time around some years back, now it's the Muslims, and of course now teh gays as well. I think she's running out of minorities.

Appearing on gay radio station JOY 94.9, Hanson lectures Australia that if gays want to get married they can piss off to somewhere else where it's OK to do so.

“I don’t care what other countries around the world are doing,” she said. “I don’t care what’s happening around the world. If you feel so strongly about it, well then I’m sure you can move to that country and then you can have the marriage.”

 ................................... 

Asked about the potential harm the public debate might do to the mental well-being of LGBTQI Australians, Hanson replied that “I think you are actually blowing that out of proportion to make that an excuse why you shouldn’t have a plebiscite.” 

“I don’t believe there’s going to be hate. I think it would be a balanced debate,” said Hanson. Apparently no one told her that the radio station she was talking to had to be evacuated this week because someone sent in a bomb threat. Junkee  

Bank caught opening fake accounts to charge fees on - US

The US bank Wells Fargo has been fined a record $185million for opening fake accounts so as to charge fees on them. What a bunch of out and out crooks! Is anyone going to go to jail over this? Certainly those caught out here ripping Centrelink off would end up in jail over fraud.

Buit perhaps more relevant, if Wells Fargo can get away with this since 2011 on such a grand scale, what might the banks be up to in Australia? 

For years, Wells Fargo employees secretly issued credit cards without a customer’s consent. They created fake email accounts to sign up customers for online banking services. They set up sham accounts that customers learned about only after they started accumulating fees. 

On Thursday, these illegal banking practices cost Wells Fargo $185 million in fines, including a $100 million penalty from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the largest such penalty the agency has issued. 

Federal banking regulators said the practices, which date back to 2011, reflected serious flaws in the internal culture and oversight at Wells Fargo, one of the nation’s largest banks. The bank has fired at least 5,300 employees who were involved. 

In all, Wells Fargo employees opened roughly 1.5 million bank accounts and applied for 565,000 credit cards that may not have been authorized by customers, the regulators said in a news conference. The bank has 40 million retail customers. 

Some customers noticed the deception when they were charged unexpected fees, received credit or debit cards in the mail that they did not request, or started hearing from debt collectors about accounts they did not recognize. But most of the sham accounts went unnoticed, as employees would routinely close them shortly after opening them. Wells has agreed to refund about $2.6 million in fees that may have been inappropriately charged. New York Times  

UN head criticises "weak" religious discrimination against LGBT

 

Departing United Nations head Ban Ki-moon, has given an extraordinarily direct swipe at discrimination based on religion and culture. He asks those who do so if their religion is so weak that you have to deny people their human rights to preserve it?

I couldn't have put it better myself :)

“Every year, hundreds are killed, thousands are badly hurt, and millions live their lives under a shadow of discrimination and disapproval. That is an outrage. 

“Many Governments refuse to acknowledge human rights abuses against LGBT people – or accept responsibility for ending them. 

“Several countries are bucking the tide of history with draconian new punishments for being gay – or even just talking about being gay. 

“I especially worry for children and youth who are bullied at school, thrown out of their homes or living on the streets. 

“These abuses will only end when countries take concrete steps to protect people: new laws, policies and programmes. This takes leadership and a commitment to work with affected communities.” 

He added: “I ask those who use religious or cultural arguments to deprive LGBT people of their human rights: what do you gain by making others less equal? 

“Is your religion or culture so weak that the only way you can sustain it is by denying others their basic rights? Pink News   

Mandela Foundation objects to his image used in Lieberal anti-gay leaflets

3 Lieberal party members behind these leaflets

Update: Nelson Mandela Foundation lashes out at Liberals over same-sex marriage smear sheet. Sydney Morning Herald 

The Nelson Mandela Foundation has objected to the anti-gay leaflets that have been put out by 3 members of the Lieberal party. Mandela wasn't against gay marriage at all.

It has come to the attention of the Nelson Mandela Foundation that the words and image of Nelson Mandela are being used to infer that he was opposed to same sex marriage. The Nelson Mandela Foundation would like to correct this misrepresentation. 

As South Africa’s first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela signed into law a constitution that stood for the rights of all. 

Chapter 9 of the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa says: 

“The state may not unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly against anyone on one or more grounds, including race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth.” In addition, “No person may unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly against anyone” on these grounds. 

Same-sex marriage has been legal in South Africa since the Civil Union Act came into force on 30 November 2006. 

We object to the misuse of the legacy of someone who worked precisely for the recognition of such rights. Nelson Mandela Foundation  

Australia's demonisation of Muslims - First Dog on the Moon :)

Talk to a gay person about a plebiscite & why we don't want it

How would anyone feel having their family and the love of their life debated across the country? Human rights, family and love for a spouse is just too personal for debate.

Lieberals behind anti-gay flyers linking Safe Schools & gay marriage

Put out by "Children's Future", an organisation set up by 3 Lieberals

Members of the Lieberal party who are also part of the Lunar right of the party, have been discovered to be the ones behind anti-gay leaflets. The leaflets lied by linking marriage equality to Safe Schools, saying that if marriage equality happened then all children would be forced to attend the Safe Schools program, with it being compulsory.

So much for respectful and civil debate.

Children's Future was registered on July 29 this year at the address of Benbow and Pike chartered accountants. One of the partners of Benbow and Pike is Gerard Abrams, a member of the Abrams family that is active in the Liberal Party's hard right in the Hills. 

The second Children's Future director is Robert Williams, 31, a member of the Cheltenham branch who was a preselector in Berowra in the recent process that saw Julian Leeser replace the outgoing veteran Philip Ruddock in that seat. 

He said he would not comment. 

The third director is a Paul Woodbury who is understood to be related to Matthew Woodbury, a furniture retailer and influential member of the Catholic right. A senior Liberal described the group as "too far right for the right". Sydney Morning Herald

.@markdreyfusQCMP: Liberal Party members have been caught handing out anti-marriage equality pamphlets #auspol https://t.co/X3FLo5CZgE

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) September 23, 2016

 
 

"I'd like to see Turnbull say 'I've promised this will be a civil debate, nothing uncivil will come from my party'" #SSM @Jan__Fran #TheDrum pic.twitter.com/Vp8t9Mr2HD

— ABC The Drum (@ABCthedrum) September 23, 2016

"Witches are advising US leaders!" - Christians

It's the Jim Bakker show folks!

He talks to some guy that used to be in the US armed forces, but who is now a senior fellow of the Family Research Council (yes the very same Family Research Council that Josh Duggar was part of). He says he's personally met witches that advise the US leadership.

Through the whole thing they're talking about "christian persecution" in the US. Yes, they actually think they are persecuted in the US. But we all know how much christian fundamentalist's just love all that persecution stuff.

 

New short film - "American Male"

This film (6 minutes long) examines the male gender stereotype, as a muscled young guy goes through the day telling himself through the day what he must do to fit into this role. What it is to be straight.

He fits in but in the end he's nothing more than a walking set of cues. Lines to recite and ways to act to be straight, he becomes empty of himself.

"The path of least resistance" was an interesting phrase used in the film.

 

Bill Leak gay Nazi cartoon has gone international

Towleroad.

Yep, and this even isn't in a plebiscite campaign. Just some of the very "respectful" comments going around here from the far right loony's. 

Calling the LGBT Nazi's, stinks of the so lame argument from the right wingnuts who are outraged by this new christian persecution us Nazi gays are apparently putting on them :s  You know, those white middle aged catholic Canberra warriors of the right way to live, aghast at people different than them who think differently. The humanity!

It also stinks of the Australian Christian Lobby, of which Lyle Shelton called gays Nazis.

So anyway, the cartoon is so offensive that it's gone international, with the well watched and visited US site Towleroad. reporting on the story.

Albeit it's posted in a round up post, people overseas are seeing this.

 

Bono rips into Trump - CBS interview :)

Bono reaction to a Trump question

U2 has a long relationship with the US, with many of their songs and tours representing the love affair they have with the country.

Here he says Trump is the worst idea the US has ever had, and that Trump is messing with the idea of what the US is about. 

 

Why South Africa banned US hate pastor Steven Anderson :)

US hate pastor Steven Anderson

Update: He was deported from Botswana. 

An interesting view from South Africa of US hate pastor Steven Anderson. Leading up to South Africa banning him from entry (even to transfer at an airport) the article shows a different view of intolerance than Anderson would be used to in the US.

Most notably of late Anderson was one of the hate pastors at the time that were thankful gays were killed in Orlando, preaching that there were now “50 less paedophiles in this world”.

Johannesburg - The Department of Home Affairs on Monday said it would be attaching “serious conditions” to the homophobic United States pastor, Steven Anderson, when he visits South Africa later this month for a “Soul-Winning Mission”. 

This comes after the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) petitioned Home Affairs to ban Anderson from entering the country. 

Anderson, who is widely known for his anti-gay sentiments on social media, is scheduled to preach in Johannesburg on 18 September.

 ................................... 

“As a democratic state, we will not fold our arms in the face of intolerance, hate speech, and human-right violations of any kind,” Gigaba said. 

“Therefore, we will not tolerate untoward behaviour, whether directed at the LGBTI community, or at any other national group on our soil. There are options to follow, and steps to be taken, in the event this situation arises.” IOL   

South Africa went on to ban Anderson from entering the country.

Discrimination case has escalated to Victimisation as well

A lady from the anti-discrimination board rang yesterday and had a long talk about the discrimination complaint against the Oxford Hotel, and the homphobic thug they had for a bouncer that night a while back. 

On discussing with us the case has escalated. I've addressed our emials as from both of us in correspondence with them, so it's not just me making the complaint it's both of us. 

Also David has now been banned from 4 premises over it including the Oxford Hotel, where the event happened. I suspect the security company is the same one at all 4 premises. They wouldn't let him in at one pub is how we found this out. Bouncer told him these other venues had him banned (including The Oxford) and so had the pub we were trying to enter. Also to talk with management about it. 

Which I did via email telling this new pub that they were involving themselves in a complaint that is presently being investigated by the anti-discrimination board against the Oxford Hotel. Management completely backed down and said he was really only banned for that night because he was "intoxicated". A lie but I was pleased to know that he wasn't banned indefinitely as the bouncer first said. Victory.

So the lady in the phone yesterday from the anti-discrimination board was very interested in this further event in the case against the Oxford. After talking about it with me for some time she decided that the complaint should now be expanded to include Victimisation.

That's quite an escalation. Doubling the complaints, and adding another violation of the law to the complaint :)

Good job. Nobody should be treated like were were that night, particularly by an inner city Sydney pub. A pub that proclaims gay friendliness and makes bazillions at Mardi Gras time, should not have a six foot tall thug homophobe bouncer at it's main entrance door. After all, they're the ones ultimately responsible for what happened by having such a dense knuckle dragging anger filled moron there. 

US hate pastor banned from South Africa and UK :)

Hate pastor goes whaaaaa........

I've known of the Pastor Anderson for some time. Lately he was one of the church pastors who were celebrating gay deaths in Orlando

He was planning a US christian missionary hate tour of South Africa preaching US fundamentalist christian hate against us gays. However after online campaigns and outrage, South Africa has banned him from Entering the country.

So he decided, it appears, that he decided on Botswana and his new place of hate preaching, sort of a sad second to South Africa. But unfortunately for him he can't even travel through South Africa to Botswana, and had to do some major reorganising of his travel to even get to Botswana.

Also unfortunately for him his travel arrangements have now been even more fucked up. He was to connect through the UK to South Africa, but the UK has also banned him from entering their country. My my, this bloke must be a real piece of christian work eh?

So his travel plans now involve 2 days of travel just to get to Botswana in a very roundabout way. Watch in this video as he whinges about it all. Poor persecuted precious christian.....

 

Porters war on the poor - says doesn't know how to help them :s

Good grief. FFS! It seems Australia has a social services minister who is so incompetent that he has no idea how to help the poor. Words from his own mouth: "I don't have an answer for that".

Then WTF is he doing as minister of social security?

All he has is new glorious ideas about how to chop into the bone of welfare recipients. Using some new bullshit gov program that projects possibilities over a lifetime. What, suddenly a computer can predict human behaviour? 

I call bullshit on him and his grand plans. It's another one of SSJoe's eleventy files. How very modern capitalist.

So what if people cost money? We're people, not units of "burden" on society. 

 

Bill Leak cartoon - one for the ACL persecuted christians

Behold Bill Leaks new cartoon. The persecuted white middle aged christians are just going to love that one. Especially as the Australian Christian Lobby Lyle Shelton recently called us Nazi's.

I prefer this one however, much more reflective of reality: 

 

100 people per month dead after Centrelink says they're fit for work - Australia

The other figure I've heard is that about only 25% of new Centrelink applicants are successful in receiving the Disability Support Pension. I wonder how the politicians would go having to jump through Centrelink hoops as we do before we get a cent?

BTW I applied after the new rules came in and was successful, if you could call it that :s

This is the result of the continual "tightening up" of the DSP to where only a very few people actually get the support they need.

Don't worry though, Turnbull wants to give $50billion to corporations and that will fix everything eh? Welcome to the Abbott/Turnbull Australia....

The horrific death toll is revealed by Figures released by the Department of human services. Around 100 people per month have been dying, shortly after being ruled well enough to take a job. 

There are many thousands more who have been forced into a situation that is having some form of detrimental effect on their health. This is a scandal too. 

Some critics are demanding an inquiry. The controversial assessment process is being blamed. It is based on a table that lists a number of possible disabilities that might show a degree of incapacity to work. This is further refined through a number of sub-categories that carry with them a given weight in points. Then the person involved has to reach a minimum of 20 points to be considered for disability support. 

On face value it may seem to some that this is a fair enough approach. It is not. In the first place, it is far too restrictive. At the bottom, it is heavily weighted towards visible physical disability. Many disabilities are not readily visible. Even those that are, generally have aspects that are not visible. Many do not fall neatly into the categories and sub-categories. Thus people not fit for work are assessed as fit for work. The Pen